Building a New Scotland: Culture in an independent Scotland – Easy Read

Building a New Scotland : Culture in an independent Scotland : Easy read Version

The power of culture

Scotland’s culture and arts are known all over the world, and also help to bring Scottish communities together.

The Scottish Government has helped make our culture more accessible and reach its potential. This has included focussing on children and young people.

We could do more if Scotland was independent. We could build on what we have already done. We could make new opportunities to support access to culture.

Broadcasting

Broadcasting means television and radio services. These are very important to people in Scotland.

With independence, the Scottish Government would set up a new Scottish broadcasting service. This would give us our own TV, radio, and online services.

This new Scottish service would work with services across the UK and the rest of the world. We would still have access to the programmes we know and love.

The new service would be aimed at the needs and interests of Scottish people, including more Scottish news.

Decisions about how broadcasting is run, and what is on TV and radio, would also be made by people who live and work in Scotland.

Scotland in the European Union

Leaving the European Union has affected our culture and creative sectors, for example making it harder to reach new people and sell work overseas.

An independent Scotland re-joining the European Union, would remove barriers to working with our neighbours in Europe.

An independent Scotland would also be able to work with other countries in Europe to support culture and the arts.

Scotland on the world stage

Independence would help the Scottish Government build relationships with other countries, and give it a better chance to promote Scottish culture to the rest of the world.

If independent, Scotland would have a migration system that supports the creative industries. Migration means people come from other countries to live and work here.

Independence would allow Scotland to join organisations like the Council of Europe and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). This would give us a full access to organisations that protect culture.

Scotland’s creative economy

Scotland’s creative industries include music, video games, films and TV. They are an important part of the economy.

Government support can help our culture and creative industries to develop. The COVID-19 pandemic made this very important.

An independent Scottish Government would be able to better support the culture sector. We would make funding decisions that are currently made by the UK government.

Conclusions

If Scotland was an independent country, our culture and creative sector could grow. We could make our culture more accessible to people in Scotland and around the world.

An independent Scotland in the EU would be able to share our culture more easily with other countries.

Creative industries are already an important part of our economy. With independence they could make Scotland even wealthier, fairer, and more inclusive.